Rise of the Runelords [The Skinsaw Murders] (IC)

[rypt]

Al secures his shield to his back and leans his spear into the corner of Grayst's cell farthest from the gurney. He then positions himself to lift the gurney from the end closest to the cell door so as to best manage the difference in height between himself and Steingott when it comes to time to navigate the stairs.

Assuming they succeed in carrying Grayst outside, he will head back upstairs to retrieve his spear before rejoining the group.

[lostsole31]

The party connects together ... and then begins the long walk back to town, switching off as necessary and taking breaks when carrying Grayst gets to be too onerous.

Where is the first place in Sandpoint that you go?

[TooterfishPopkn]

Once Steingott gets a break from carrying the gurney, he starts to loosen his muscles and massage his arms a bit.

"Once we get to town, maybe we get Grayst and Martin to the priest."

He looks down at Grayst on the gurney, "They both could definitely use it. Then perhaps one of us could go alert the sheriff and bring him to the church?"

[TooterfishPopkn]

When the party rests and checks up on the the dying man called Grayst, Steingott checks all Grayst's straps and buckles to make sure Grayst is carefully strapped in.

[rypt]

The first time Al has to pass off the gurney to someone else, he mutters a string of curses to himself. "I'd carry it a while longer, but the magic of that damned necromancer robbed me of my strength."

When Steingott later suggests they head first for the cathedral, Al nods in agreement. "Aye. I'll see if I can get ahold of the sheriff."

[lostsole31]

So, Steingott will go with Martin and Draegra to the temple, with Draegra also going to help carry Grayst.

Norton, they could use another strong pair of hands with the gurney, considering Martin being blind might be a little clumsy (and Draegra also suffered from enervation in the battle). Do you go with them and let Al take care of the Sheriff himself?

[meemaas]

Of course Norton will help. He might not be that strong, but he can still help.

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: Alvor

Show

Alvor, you get to Sandpoint Garrison and go in to see Sheriff Hemlock. What do you say?

---

Spoiler: Everyone Else

Show

Norton keeps talking about how he's "not that strong" and showing real confidence issues, which is probably annoying to the others. True, he is weaker than everyone else here, and at the same time, he is significantly stronger than any burly town guard.

Everyone else gets to the Sandpoint Cathedral, and request to see Father Zantalus, who will come out to greet them.

Who says what?

[rypt]

"A word, sheriff?" If other townsfolk are nearby, Al adds, "In private?"

Once only the sheriff and his deputies are within earshot, he gets right to the point. "Habe tried to kill us. He let us speak with Grayst and then his men jumped us. Two orderlies, a bat the size of a pony, and about half a dozen zombies -- former patients turned by a necromancer named Caizarlu Zerren.

"The necromancer's dead, Habe isn't. We all made it out, but a spell left Martin blind, and Grayst is on the verge of succumbing to ghoul fever. Both are with Father Zantus right now."

He gives the Hemlock a moment to process. "Can we walk to the cathedral? There's more you should hear, and not from me alone."

[lostsole31]

The sheriff will accompany Al to the cathedral.

He and the sheriff get there by the time Father Zantalus is able to see the others. (See, so convenient!)

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott steps forward and speaks to Zantius.

"Greetings, Father. My companions and I have run into a bit of trouble while doing some freelancing for your sheriff.

One of my companions is under some kind of blinding curse. The other guy we found...well I'm not sure where to begin..." He looks down at his feet trying to find the right words. "...a ghoul? Maybe?"

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk

Martin had been staggering as best he could with the stretcher in his hands, the blindness and stumbling still being the greater challenge rather than the weight of the stretcher and the crippled man (or at least he assumes a man from what the others have said).

As he hears Father Zantus he breathes a sigh of relief. "Father Zantus, thanks to Desna we reached you. I was cursed by a spell and they have taken my eyes." Making sure to settle the stretcher down he settles himself on the ground, happy now to b in a place of safety.

[lostsole31]

Father Zantus will look to Martin and see his eyes. Not seeing any physical trauma he asks, "Was it necromancy that did this?"

The sheriff ... who came in with Alvor ... asks everyone, "Okay, so what happened?"

[rypt]

At the sheriff's question, Al sighs a tired sigh. "It started with Habe agreeing to let Draegra and I to speak with Grayst. I tried talking to the poor bastard first, but with me, he was barely coherent. Kept mumbling about 'teeth' and 'razors' and someone he called 'the Skinsaw Man.' One look at Draegra, though"--he snaps his fingers--"and it was like he woke up. He said he'd been waiting for Draegra's visit. Said he had a message from His Lordship. It was something like an invitation. I think Draegra wrote it down."

He pauses a moment in the event Draegra wishes to share the message.

"After Grayst said what he needed to say, he...went berserk. Tore right out of his restraint jacket and lunged at Draegra. There was a struggle, but we managed to subdue him, and Habe's men took him away. There was some back and forth about Grayst's condition and how it might be treated, but ultimately, we were ready to leave. That was when Habe asked us to stay. Said he had something he thought might help us. He went upstairs and that was the last we saw him. A few minutes later, his orderlies attacked Zada and Martin. The giant bat, the zombies, and the necromancer filed in after them."

[lostsole31]

Draegra speaks up. "Grayst mentioned something about 'His Lorship' making him memorize a message to give to me ... specifically me, for some reason. I think it went like this ...

“'He said you should come to the Misgivings soon, to meet the Pack, for they have something wonderful to show you.'

"And Habe went upstairs to secure Grayst, that's true, but when fighting broke out, he ran to the north end of the Sanatorium on the first floor, presumably locking himself inside."

Father Zantus, having looked over Martin this entire time, speaks up. "Desna forgive my lack of greater travels to hone my craft in my youth, but this ocular occlusion that has been placed over your friend's eyes ... it is beyond my power."

"Have you nothing we can pool our resources together to purchase from you?" asks Zada.

Father Zantus shakes his head. "Such a miracle is more expensive than anyone here would normally be willing to pay. Again, I'm sorry that you sacrificed so, but it seems that in doing so, Martin, you have helped rid the world of an evil man and uncovered the ineptitude of a poor physician."

[rypt]

When the priest admits his inability remedy Martin's condition, Al exhales a sigh and a curse. "Who else in town could help him?" he asks, looking to Zantus and Hemlock in turn.

[lostsole31]

The sheriff and Father Zantus quietly shake their heads. "Nobody around here commands miracles like that."

[DrK]

Martin Bevuk

Martin sags as the priest and sheriff explain they have no ability to help him recover. A look of despair passes over his face as realises that it may be permanent and that he is now crippled for the remainder of his life. His mind drifts to Hayliss and how this will impact her as he knows that he doesn't want to make her a nursemaid to a blind cripple, certainly not one who cannot work (a blind butcher seemed a fine way of losing fingers!)

Despairing he collapses to the ground, cradling his head in his hands

[rypt]

Al's jaw tightens as Martin collapses beside him. "Can we wait it out?" he asks of Zantus. "Whatever this magic is, will it fade in time?"

[lostsole31]

"This is dark magic, true necromancy," says the priest. "It is a permanent to one so afflicted."

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott speaks up, "Is there perhaps a way he could see without seeing? I've heard of blind fighters before. There could be a way around this."

[lostsole31]

Draegra adds, "I've heard of a thing, but I've never seen it. And I imagine that is a person who has lived their lives learning to compensate and spending years training. Worse, if I'm not mistaken, Martin strikes me as more of an archer."

[TooterfishPopkn]

"If what you say is true, we have little choice. We either put Martin in a place of care for the blind, for what could be the rest of his life, or we move forward. We go back to that sanitarium and find answers.

[rypt]

Al grimaces at Zantus' answer. "What of Magnimar, then? Surely there is a priest in the city with the power to help him. If Martin thinks he could manage a saddle, we could be there tomorrow and back the day after."

[lostsole31]

"That's assuming you can find a cleric willing to cast the spell, and then you can be sure you are paying a donation," says Father Zantus. "The cheapest you could possibly get it for would be 150 gp, but a priest or other spellcaster with the spellcaster might charge more because most capable casters of power don't sit around waiting to be able to do this. Depending on how important they see themselves and how you impact their time, it could be more. And we haven't even gotten to the part about them setting aside time to see you, because they aren't likely to have so situational a spell on hand.

"I would say that more scrolls of that type would be just shy of 400 gp, and a potion would cost you 750 gp. Regardless, we go from a steep price to a small fortune."

Father Zantus sighs, looking at Draegra and Norton. "I mention all of this, because one of your predecessors - known to two of you - performed a great service to Sandpoint, but was cursed by a barghest. Man was a noble and a paladin at that. But last I heard, Lord Valdemar was still under the affliction from the barghest and retired from adventuring.

"I'm sorry, Martin. It is a heavy blow, but perhaps your affliction will be a means not of turning away your love, but teaching both of you greater love through the trials ahead of you."

[meemaas]

Norton nods. "So Toros failed to find treatment after all? That is quite the disappointment."

[rypt]

"Is this even a question? A few days waiting for a priest versus a lifetime in the dark?"

He exhales his exasperation.

"Martin, it's your time, your money, your eyes, and ultimately your decision. I could lend you some coin if you need it, but...I have debts of my own. Debts that, unpaid, are like to cost me more than my vision."

[TooterfishPopkn]

Steingott chimes in:

"My small fortune is banked in Magnimar. I can throw in some coin. I have access to a horse as well if we want to make this quick."

[digiman619]

Zada had been silent for the conversation, weighting their options on how to handle their teammates condition. They exhales in disappointment before reaching into their bag, withdrawing five large pearls. "I was saving up to get the materials for something, but this is more dire. Each of these will fetch about 100 gold pieces, so that is most of the way to getting a potion, and I can do a hundred's more in coin if we need to."

[TooterfishPopkn]

"Seems like everyone is willing to help a bit. Looks like we should head to Magnimar, and we can settle who will throw in how much once we're there. I can get more gold at the Bank of Abidar when we arrive.

I have some standing with a local stable master who keeps a horse ready for me. We may be able to borrow a wagon and a horse or two. We could shorten the trip and get back on the job quickly."